1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to golf ball driving practice and more particularly to an apparatus which automatically positions a golf ball in teed-up position substantially as quickly as the user drives a ball off the tee of this apparatus.
A basic requirement for improving golfing skill is repetitious use of various clubs, stances, and hand grips in practice.
It is desirable in such golf driving range practice that the ball be automatically teed-up in position for the golfer to again drive a ball following each driving stroke, thus, eliminating the necessity of releasing the grip on the golf club and manually placing a ball on a tee for the next and subsequent driving stroke.
This invention provides an apparatus which automatically and in succession places a golf ball on a tee in position for being driven.
2. Description of the Prior Art
The prior art discloses numerous golf tee positioning apparatus for use on driving ranges. Most of these devices are gravity operated or incorporate mechanical leverage systems including electrically operated cylindrical tee elevators substantially all requiring some movement or action on the part of a golfer, as by closing a switch or moving a lever by the golf club in hand or a foot operated trigger, in order to actuate the tee and ball elevating mechanism.
The most pertinent prior patent is believed to be U.S. Pat. No. 4,741,537 which discloses a spiral inclined ramp, gravity feeding a succession of balls to a tee position with a golfer operated trigger mechanism interposed in the path of ball movement, allowing one ball at a time to be positioned over the tee. The tee comprising a positive air pressure operated piston vertically moved in a cylinder in response to the ball being positioned over the cylinder.
This invention is distinctive over this patent by eliminating the necessity of any movement or change of stance by the golfer for successively addressing a teed-up ball following each driving stroke.